UNA District 1 congressional aspirant Monsi Cris dela Cruz yesterday expressed his sympathy to thousands of electric consumers who are great affected by the pestering six to eight hours blackout in the city.

The servant leader, who manages Lantaka Hotel by the Sea and the Nuevo Zamboanga College, Inc., said everybody is affected by the long brownout adding that the hardest hit are the businessmen themselves.

“We are the hardest hit because we have to spend lots of money for fuel to run our generators in the hotel and in theschool. Our city officials seem to be helpless in finding solution or better options to solve the problem,” dela Cruz emphasized.

He said the city has billions of pesos deposited in the banks and leaving the huge taxpayers’ money idle in bank account will not benefit the people.“We are always bragging that the city is a billionaire city but the people are suffering from blackouts so what good does that money do if city officials will not use it to solve the power-lack,” the servant leader said.

He said if given the chance to be representative of the people in District 1 after the elections he will study the Epira Law to make it more viable to local government units to solve the power problem.

According to De la Cruz, wherever he goes almost all sectors of the society are complaining about the bothersome blackouts.He said many have criticized on the blackouts which led to the malfunction of their appliances like televisions, refrigerators, airconditioners and others.“There are many entrepreneurs who have also grumbled of income loss due to the brownouts like those who are selling ice candies, ice drops, ice and others,” Dela Cruz said.

He said elections are fast approaching and people have to once more choose their leaders.“If you want blackouts to continue then vote for the same officials if you want better services and leaders who listen then you must choose leaders who are sincere,” he added. — KS